Laundry pressing-machine.



- 0'. A. SMITH.

LAUNDRY PRBSSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1910.

1,010,697. PatentedDec.5, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

v \MTNEEEEE:

' 4 .ATTIJRNEYf COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHXNC\TON, D. c.

i 7 6 INVENT F1- 4? 4 1 1" 1 v v i wwv11111411 G. A. SMITH.

LAUNDRY PRESSING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. so, 1910. 1,01 0,697.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911 2 SHEETS-SHBET 2.

1.? 8 17 E: f: 29 $72; 30 a; 21/ T 23 1: I .36 7 I I 7 "hlml iii i @Y 22l R z/ a COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.,w SHINGTON, D c.

ATTD N E UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. 2'

CARLOS A. SMITH, OF BELLAIRE, OHIO.

LAUNDRY PRESSING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, 1911.

Application filed April 30,1910. Serial No. 558,745.

lshaping machine adapted for laundry use.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple andconveniently-operated machine of the class mentioned whereby cuffs,whether attached or detached, and other similar articles may be pressedand shaped at a single operation.

A further object is to simplify and structurally improve that class oflaundry ironing or pressing machines employed for pressing and shapingcuffs, neck-bands, and the like. w

With these and other objects in view, the invention accordingly consistsin the particular construction, arrangement and combination of partswhich will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 is a top plan view of the 1nvention;Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same taken on the line3-3, Fig. 1, showing the expansible work-holder and the mandrel innon-operative relation at opposite sides of the steam-chest; Fig. 4 is aview similar to Fig. 3, showing the device in pressing position; Fig. 5is a transverse sectional view, the section being taken on the l1ne 5-5,Fig. 4, showing the position of the parts prior to the expansion of thework holder into pressing relation with the steamchest; Fig. 6 is asimilar view, showing the work-holder expanded intopressure-exertingposition; Fig. 7 is a'detail view showing a retractile coil spring. I

Referring to said drawings, in which like designating charactersdistinguish like parts throughout the several views- 1 indicates ahollow saddle-shaped chest, whichwill hereinafter be termed asteam-chest, although it may be heated as well by hot water or hot airas by steam. The heating agent is conducted into the chest through'apipe 2, and

is discharged therefrom throughpipe's 3. A plain curved interiorface 1is provlded on said steam-chest, the curvature of said face beingsubstantially that desired for the finished article. Said chest ismounted upon a stationary base 4 which has a longitudinal runway 5therein which extends between the separated members of said chest. Insaid runway is slidably mounted the base-plate 6 ofa work-holder whichis adapted for cooperating with the steam-chest 1 for pressing articlesmounted upon said holder. Said work-holder comprises a pair ofoppositely disposed supports 7 and 8'which respectively have upon theiradjacent faces circular bosses 7 and 8 about which are fitted theshouldered ends of a plurality of segments 9 and 10 which togetherconstitute an expanslble head. Registering grooves 42 provided in thesegments adjacent to their ends in Fig. 5.

A saddle-plate 12 of flexible sheet metal closely embraces the outerfaces of the segments 9 and 10, terminating at its opposite endsadjacent to the lower, or free, edges of said segments 10. Fixed to eachof said ends on the inner face of the saddle-plate is a longitudinal bar13 whose ends project outward beyond the edges of the plate. Atransversely directed retractile coil spring 14 unites the ends ofthebars 13 at opposite ends of the work-holder for normallymaintaining saidsegments 10 in the position shown in Fig. 5. Saidbars are receivedin andare movable in recesses 15 provided in the outer faces of the segments10. v

. The upper end of the support 8 has an eye 16 therein concentric withthe'boss 8, and registering with said eye'is the larger end of ataperedsocket provided in-the expan sibl'e head, the segments 9 and 10 havingtheir inner faces so shaped that, when they occupy their normalpositions, such a socket will be formed. I

The expansible headhas an outer pad-or fabric covering 17 upon whichthecuifs or other articles to be pressed are mounted, and:

preferably interposed between said covering and the saddleplate 12 is awoven wire netting or wire fabric 18 designed to hold the covering 17out of contact with said saddle-plate and thus to admit of the readyescape down the surface of the latter of such moisture as passes throughsaid covering. The saddleplate 12 not only serves as a friction-plate,allowing the embraced segments to freely move with respect to each otherwhen the head is expanded, but also to prevent the wire fabric 18 andcovering 17 from being pressed into the interstices between the segmentsduring the pressing operation.

When the work to be acted upon is mounted upon the work-holder, thebaseplate 6 forming a part of the latter is forced inward along therunway 5 until it occupies a position within the embrace of thesteam-chest 1, as shown in Fig. 4:. Then, upon the depression of atreadle 19, a locking-member 20 is elevated through an open-' ing 21 inthe base 4 and through a then registering opening 22 in the slidablebase 6, for locking the work-holder in a stationary position. At thesame time, suitable mechanism interposed between said treadle and ahorizontally disposed mandrel 23 is actuated to move the latter forwardand to thrust its cone-shaped head 24 into the socket of the expansiblehead, expanding the latter into cooperative pressing relation with theface 1 of the steam-chest. The interposed mechanism herein depictedcomprises a vertically movable rod 25 pivoted at its lower end to saidtreadle and terminating in a yoke at its upper end. Each of the yoketerminals 26 is pivotally connected to a pivot-pin 27 upon which arepivoted the adjacent ends of toggles or links 28 and 29, the formerbeing pivoted at its opposite end to a stationary bearing-member 30forming a part of a mandrel-support 31. The opposite ends of the links29 are pivoted upon trunnions 32 carried by a crosshead 33 which isadjustably mounted upon the mandrel 23. When the treadle occupies itsnormal position, the links 28 and 29 00- cupy a downwardly inclinedposition, as shown in Fig. 3, and when said treadle is depressed, saidlinks are forced into a substantially horizontal alined position,thrusting said mandrel forward in its bearings 30 and 34 for expandingthe expansible head.

A coil-spring 35 interposed between the outer face of the bearing 30 anda collar or head 36, carried by the mandrel serves to return the latterto its normal position when the treadle is released. The mandrel beingwithdrawn from the expansible head, the work-holder is moved forward byhand and the work removed therefrom.

A slot 37 provided in the lower end of the rod 25 and through which thepivotpin 38 carried by the treadle projects, permits the locking member20 to be elevated into locking position prior to the time that themandrel is actuated to move forward.

A bar 39 has its opposite ends fixed in the oppositely disposed supports7 and 8 and directly underlies the free edge of the segments 10. Saidbar may be rectangular in'cross-section, or it may have ends rectangularin cross-section, as shown in the drawings. Said bar is so mounted thateach of its upper faces is inclined at an angle of 15 degrees andcoincides with the lower similarly inclined lower edge of the adjacentsegment 10. Thus, as will be apparent, when said segments are forceddownward by the expanding action of the head 24; of the mandrel, theywill be caused to separate, as shown in Fig. 6 and to thus exertlaterallydirected pressing force against the steamchest.

When the mandrel and connected parts assume expanding relation with theexpansible head, they are held in such position by the frictionalengagement of the mandrel head 24 with said expansible head. A pivotedlever 40, which constitutes an ordinary type of treadle kick-01f isprovided at a suitable point, the same being adapted to initially movethe treadle for returning the parts of the expanding device to normalinoperative position.

The device constituting the invention described is preferably mountedupon a supporting frame or table 41, as shown.

It will be obvious that various alterations may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts constituting my invention, asdefined by the appended claims, without departing from the generalspirit or scope thereof and without sacrificing any of the advantagesthereof. For instance, it is readily apparent that variousmandreloperating mechanisms differing from that herein shown anddescribed would readily suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic.Hence, I would have it understood that I do not desire to limit myselfto the precise construction and arrangement of parts so depicted anddescribed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A laundry pressing machine, comprising a steam-chest, a slidablework-holder comprising segments adapted to be expanded into pressingrelation to said chest, and a horizontally disposed mandrel having asingle conical head for expanding said workholder.

2. A laundry pressing machine, comprising a steam-chest, a slidablymounted workholder comprising segments adapted to be expanded intopressing relation to said chest, and a mandrel operating in alinementwith be moved into and out of the embrace of said work-holder and havinga single conical head for expanding the latter.

3. A laundry pressing machine, comprising a table, a stationarysteam-chest mounted on said table, a work-holder adapted to be movedhorizontally into and out of the embrace of'said chest, and meansoperating in alinement with said work-holder for expanding the latterinto pressure-exerting relation with said chest.

4. A laundry pressing machine, comprising a steam-chest, a segmentalwork-holder, a support for said work-holder adapted to embrace of saidchest, and means for expanding said work-holder into pressure-exertingrelation to said chest.-

5. A laundry pressing machine, comprising a saddle-shaped steam-chest,an expansible work-holder adapted to be moved into and out of theembrace of said chest, and a longitudinally movable mandrel in alinementwith said work-holder for expanding the latter into pressure-exertingrelation with said chest, said mandrel having a single conical head.

6. A laundry pressing machine, comprising a saddle-shaped steam-chest,an expansible work-holder adapted to be moved into and out of theembrace of said chest, means for locking said work-holder within saidembrace, and means for expanding said work-holder into pressure-exertingrelation v with said chest.

said work-holder whereby the latter is expanded.

8. The combination with a steam-chest of an expansible work-holderadapted to cooperate with said chest, said work-holder comprising aplurality of segments, means for normally maintaining said segments intheir retracted position, a saddle-plate embracing said segments, afabric covering for said saddle-plate, and means for moving saidsegments with relation to each other for exerting pressure against saidchest.

' 9. The combination with a saddle-shaped steam chest, of asimilarly-shaped expansible work-holder adapted to be movedlongitudinally into and out of the embrace of said chest, saidwork-holder comprising a plurality of segments, meansfor normallymaintaining said segments in their retracted position, and meansincluding a locking device-for said work-holder whereby said segmentsmay be uniformly thrust outward in expanded cooperative relation to saidchest.

10. The combination with a saddle-shaped steam-chest, of an expansiblesaddle-shaped work-holder adapted to cooperate with said chest, saidwork-holder comprising a plurality of segments, means for normallymaintaining said segments in their retracted position, a covering forsaid segments which includes a flexible saddle-plate, and means foruniformly thrusting said segments outward in expanded relation. 7

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

. CARLOS A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

EDMUND C. WHITEHLEAD, H. E. DUNLAP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

